Many diseases are currently treated with replacement or repair of the affected anatomy. In most cases, a device is implanted to mimic the morphology and function of the original anatomy. For example, bare metal and drug eluting stents are used for the treatment of coronary artery disease, scaffolds are used for treating aortic aneurisms, and artificial aortic valves are used for valve replacements. However most of the devices suffer from the lack of bio-compatibility and personalization. As most replacement devices are based on metal parts for structural integrity (e.g., coronary stents) they incite immune responses. In addition, current devices come only in a discrete set of options, mostly to reduce development and manufacturing cost. For example, aortic valve replacement devices are usually available in three options which vary in size (e.g., with 3 mm gaps between models). Thus, there is a significant lack of personalization as the anatomy of the patient can exhibit a large variety of distinct shapes which are not possible to capture with a limited number of discrete device options.
Accordingly, a more personalized device creation approach is desired in clinical practice. Expectations are that personalized devices can improve current procedural outcomes. In the case of complex anatomical deformations, such as in pediatric cases, a personalized model may be the only viable option.